Hydraulic-power air-compressor.



P. P. WILBUR. HYDRAULIC POWER AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED 11.21, 1911.

1,005,91 1 Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS P. WILBUR, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

HYDRAULIC-POWER AIR-COMPRESSOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS P. IVILBUR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Power Air-Compressors, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to accumulate and maintain a large volumeof air under high pressure for power purposes.

I am aware of the fact that a flowing stream of water has heretoforebeen utilized to convey air to a receiving reservoir and subject thesame to the pressure of a column of water at a great depth below thesurface of the ground; Also that air for power purposes has heretoforebeen displaced and lightly compressed by waves and the rising tide. Bymy improvements, however, I utilize both the rising waves produced bywind and tide, in addition to the gravity of a column of water foraccumulating and compressing air, the rising waves being utilized fortwo purposeslst, to raise the water above the normal sea level, wherebyin flowing back, it is forced through an inverted siphon duct, and 2nd,to apply the force of the waves for both forcing a large volume oftrapped air into the descendingwater column, and applying a downwardpressure to the surface of said column, whereby the elasticity of thecompressed air is utilized in addition to the gravity of the water forforcing the latter through said inverted siphon.

My invention is further explained by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, which represents a vertical section of the several coiiperatingparts thereof.

Like parts are identified by the same reference numerals.

' For best results, the system is preferably located at such a point onthe sea shore as will be most exposed to wind and tide or at a pointwhere from any cause, the action of the waves is most constant anduniform.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 21, 1911.

. Patented0ct.17, 1911.

Serial No. 603,819.

through the descending duct 4, while the r volume of air which iscarried down with the water in said duct, is greatly increased by thepressure of the air thereon. The rising waves are conducted from theinclined way 2 to the air chamber 3, through a plurality of ducts 5 andthe discharge end of said ducts 5 are each provided with outwardlyopening valves 6, which valves are adapted to be opened by the force ofthe waves and pressure of the escaping water, when they are closed oftheir own gravity cooperating with the pressure of the air and water insaid chamber, whereby the air which is forced into said chamber by therising waves is trapped and retained therein until its elastic force isexpanded in driving the water down through said duct 4. The ducts 5 arepreferably made conical in shape diverging from their discharge ends,whereby the largest waves may enter them more readily when the speed orforce of such waves will be concentrated and accelerated, as they escapethrough their smaller discharge ends. The water thus led to the airchamber passes from thence into the lower side of the air reservoir 7,through said duct 4. As the water thus flows into the duct 4, a largevolume of air which is normally in the water, together with a largeadditional quantity, is forced by its elastic action into the water asit passes from the air chamber down into said outlet duct. As thecomrningled water and air passes into the chamber 7 and the movement ofthe water is retarded, the air escapes therefrom and rises to the top ofsaid chamber, when it is subjected to a pressure of water correspondingwith the height of the column of water in the outlet duct 8, throughwhich duct 8 the water escapes at a slight distance above the sea level.

9 is an outlet air duct, through which the compressed air is led fromthe top of the chamber 7 to a power plant, where its stored energy isutilized.

10 is a blow ofi pipe, the mouth of which is normally closed with thewater, when the column of water in said pipe will balance the normal airpressure and prevent the air from escaping. When, however, the dischargeend of the duct 9 is closed for a sufiicient length of time, theaccumulation of air in the chamber 7 may be such as to force the waterbelow the mouth 11 of the blow ofi pipe, when a suificient quantity ofair will be permitted to escape from said chamber to permit the water toagain rise around the mouth 11 of said blow off pipe, whereby thefurther escape of compressed air is prevented.

While I have shown two ducts leading from the inclined way to the airchamber 3, it is obvious that the number of said ducts may beindefinitely increased and said ducts may be arranged in alinement witheach other upon the same horizontal plane, or two or more series ofducts may be arranged parallel with each other upon different planes,when, of course, the lower series of ducts will receive the small waves,while the larger waves only will reach the higher series of ducts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the described class, the combination of a water wayfor the passage of waves as they rise above the normal sea level, an airchamber, a water duct conmiunicating from said water ways to said airchamber, a valve connected with the discharge end of said duct adaptedto be auto- 7 matically opened by the passage of water therethrough andto be automatically closed as soon as the flow of water through saidducts ceases, a duct extending from said air chamber to a water chamberbelow the sea level, a water chamber located at the lower extremity ofsaid last named duct into which the water and air from said last namedduct is discharged, an outlet water duct leading from the bottom of saidwater chamber to the surface of the ground, and an air duct leadof wavesas they rise above the normal sea level, an air chamber, a plurality ofwater ducts communicating from said water way to said air chamber, avalve connected with the discharge end of each of said ducts, saidvalves being adapted to be operated by the passage of water through saidducts and to be automatically closed as soon as the passage of waterthrough said ducts ceases, a duct extending from said air chamber to awater chamber below the sea level, a water chamber located at the lowerextremity of said last named duct into which the water and air from saidlast named duct are discharged, an outlet water duct leading from thebottom of said water chamber to the surface of the ground and an airduct leading from the top of said water chamber to a power plant orother place for use.

3. In a device of the described class, the combination of a water way,an air tight chamber for the reception of water and air, a ductcommunicating from said water way to said chamber, a valve connectedwith the discharge end of said duct, adapted to be automatically openedby the passage of water and to be automatically closed as soon as thepassage of water ceases, a water chamber located below the surface ofthe ground,

a duct for the passage of air and water,"

FRANCIS P. WILBUR.

Witnesses JAs. B. ERWIN, I. D. BREMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

